Honeybees

[jhamblin]

Does anyone keep honeybees?

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

I don't, but have been thinking about keeping them. Love fresh honey...

 

[Chicken Rustler]

I do. In fact just pulled honey yesterday and will spin soon.

 

[CYGChickies]

Mine are coming in the Spring. I've been researching like crazy and going to meetings. Try contacting your Extension office and seeing if they have a Beekeeper's meeting. It's a great way to learn. Honeybees are something you should be overprepared for if you can. There's a lot to learn that's just really interesting about their biology and "culture" when they're in the hive--and we know such a small percent! The more I learned, the more I was hooked!

CYG

 

[sulco]

I keep a hive as well... I call them *mine* since it was supposed to be DW's hobby, not mine. We had a friend order the hive kit (along with his) and after it arrived he notified us the bees would be here the next week. We thought we were only getting the hive and would have to order bees later, so we had to jump in with both feet pronto! I started the hive and she's let me run with it.. good opportunity to have quiet downtime at the back if the property. (no kids, dog, cat, etc..

)

I just prepared to winter mine since it's only in the mid-40's during the day here, although I have to finish putting insulation around the hive. We had a rough start (read very late spring) so I think I'd only have enough honey to winter them.. I'm considering making a feeding mixture and putting it on since I doubt they will get a chance to be out foraging much more.

It's just another hobby I wish I'd started a lot earlier than I did... just like the chickens... I love the ladies!

 

[sgtmom52]

I keep bees too ~ we have 12 hives right now. We started 1 hive 6 years ago as a "retirement hobby". I agree that if you are just starting out, try to find your local Beekeepers' Club, ours was a great help ~ in fact I was just elected President of ours for the next 2 years. York County Beekeepers We do a spring "nu-bee" workshop each year and also assign mentors to anyone who wants one for the first year or two.

I recommend reading some books, esp. "Backyard Beekeeping" by Kim Flottum and "Natural Beekeeping" by Ross Conrad for some good information about Beekeeping.

This has been a very bad fall for honeybees in PA as we have had record amounts of rainfall and the bees have been unable to forage to put in honey for the winter. They also have been eating what honey they already had in the hives. We have been feeding sugar syrup for the last 2 months and are getting ready to winterize the hives & will be adding fondant for emergency winter feed. We are expecting about a 50% hives loss due to starvation in PA this winter after a 37% loss last winter.

There is a Beekeeping thread here on BYC if you want to check it out ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=310974

 

[faerielady]

Quote:
I've been thinking about putting a hive in the back of my yard, but I live in a suburban area (even though beekeeping is protected here in Oklahoma, according to the laws they can't tell me that I *can't* have a hive) but I don't know if I could adequately take care of one. So, these book recommendations are great for me.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I have found a bee keeping association in Northamponshire so I hope to do their bee keeping course next year. So chickens in february and bees later on in the year. The chickens are going onto the allotment but because of security (ie theft) the bees will be in the garden (the neighbours like the idea of bees I have asked both sides already.)

 

[featherfinder]

Quote:
I've been thinking about putting a hive in the back of my yard, but I live in a suburban area (even though beekeeping is protected here in Oklahoma, according to the laws they can't tell me that I *can't* have a hive) but I don't know if I could adequately take care of one. So, these book recommendations are great for me.

I live in a suburban area to and the guy i get my honey from actually is right in the middle of a city with the hives on top of his house! I think he said he has 6 up there. I was pretty amazed but what ever works for you i guess lol.

 

[sgtmom52]

Quote:
I've been thinking about putting a hive in the back of my yard, but I live in a suburban area (even though beekeeping is protected here in Oklahoma, according to the laws they can't tell me that I *can't* have a hive) but I don't know if I could adequately take care of one. So, these book recommendations are great for me.

I live in a suburban area to and the guy i get my honey from actually is right in the middle of a city with the hives on top of his house! I think he said he has 6 up there. I was pretty amazed but what ever works for you i guess lol.

Actually urban rooftop hives seem to be very active as there is usually a wide variety forage plants in those small city yards & trees.